Dutch MP's proposal to annex Belgian regions raises eyebrows
Martin Bosma, the chairman of the Dutch parliament, suggested that Flanders could join the Netherlands, and Wallonia could join France. Currently, both regions are part of Belgium. This idea surprised the participants at a meeting with the French ambassador.
It is unclear whether Bosma was serious or just joking. This politician, associated with Geert Wilders' far-right PVV party, rarely gives interviews.
"During such evenings, people talk about politics and what might happen," Bosma explained in an interview with "NRC," referring to the meeting with the French ambassador.
Bosma's idea is not new in right-wing circles. Geert Wilders, the leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV), previously expressed a similar stance.
The idea of uniting the Netherlands
The concept of uniting the Netherlands, known as Dietsland, is popular among some right-wing parties and organizations in the Netherlands. The Vlaams Belang group once supported the idea of Flanders joining the Netherlands, but it no longer raises this topic.
Bart De Wever from the N-VA party also expressed support for this idea. "I never abandoned the dream that all Dutch speakers might one day live together. If I could die as a Southern Netherlander, I would be happier than as a Belgian," De Wever said four years ago.
Despite such declarations, as noted by Petra de Koning, few people in the Netherlands worry about the idea of uniting the Netherlands. Similar to Donald Trump's claims about Greenland or the Panama Canal, some treat it as a curiosity.
